Photographic apparatus with pivotable handle



B. JABLONSKI 3,537,785

PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS WITH PIVOTABLE- HANDLE Nov. 3; 1970 Filed March 17, 1969 M 8/. ONT/W United States Patent Off ce I 3,537,785 Patented Nov. 3, 1970 3,537,785 PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS WITH PIVOTABLE HANDLE Bernhard Jablonski, Musberg, Germany, assignor to Robert Bosch Elektronik und Photokino GmbH, Stuttgart- Unterturkheim, Germany Filed Mar. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 807,567 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 28, 1968,

84,283 Int. Cl. G03b 17/04 Us. Cl. 352-243 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to photographic apparatus, particularly to motion picture cameras. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in cameras of the type wherein the housing is provided with a handle which is movable between extended and inoperative positions.

It is already known to attach the handle to the bottom ,wall of the housing in a motion picture camera. As a rule, the pivot which connects the handle with the housing extends in parallelism with the bottom wall and at right angles to the optical axis of the objective. This renders it possible to move the handle in a plane which is parallel to the planes of side walls of the housing. The handle is preferably elongated but not so long that it would extend beyond the rear wall of the housing when moved to inoperative position; this is achieved by placing the pivot close to the front wall of the housing. When the handle ismoved to extended position in which it projects substantially vertically downwardly from the front end of the bottom wall, it is located in front of the center of {DAS No. 1,074,973; A drawback of the locking device is that it must be manipulatedwhenever the user Wishes move the handle from inoperative to extended position, or vice versa, and also that'it occupies a certain amount of space which is at a premium in a portable 8-millimeter motion picture camera for amateurs. Furthermore, the locking device normally comprises several parts which increase the initial cost of the camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a photographic apparatus, particularly a portable motion picture camera, with a novel handle which need not be locked in extended or inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handle which is mounted in such a way that it contributes little the bulk of the housing in a camera when moved to inoperative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle which is mounted in such a way that the housing of the camera can be stored in a small carrying case when the handle is moved to inoperative position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a handle which is mounted in such a way that the position of the housing with reference to the handle in the latters extended position remains unchanged even if the handle is not locked in extended position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle which can be moved to an infinite number of intermediate positions in each of which the camera is ready for use.

The invention is embodied in a photographic apparatus, particularly in an 8-millimeter motion picture camera, which comprises a housing including a plurality of walls, a preferably elongated handle, and pivot means turnably connecting the handle to one of the walls, preferably to an elongated bottom wall of the housing. The pivot means defines for the handle an axis which makes an oblique angle with the one wall so that the handle can be turned between an inoperative position in which it is adjacent to and preferably parallel to the one wall and an extended or operative position in which it extends from the one wall. The arrangement is preferably such that the pivot means connects the front end of the handle with the front end of the bottom wall. The handle is preferably provided with a flat surface which is substantially normal to the axis of the pivot means and is adjacent to a flat surface of the one wall. A yieldable detent device may be provided to hold the handle in each of its end positions; such detent device preferably comprises a spring-biased ball or pin in one of the flat surfaces and two recesses or sockets in the other flat surface.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved photographic apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a motion picture camera whose housing is connected with an elongated handle in accordance with the present invention, the handle being shown in inoperative position and a portion of the handle and the adjoining portion of the housing being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the motion picture camera, the handle being shown in operative position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the camera, the handle being shown in an intermediate position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates an 8-millimeter motion picture camera having a substantially brick-shaped housing or body 2 including a flat elongated horizontal bottom wall 1 and a vertical front wall 1a. The front wall In carries a lens mount 1b and a trigger 1c. The rear wall 111 supports the rear portion 1e of the view finder. The front portion of the bottom wall 1 is connected to or integral with a solid wedge-like attachment or block 3 which has a for- Wardly and downwardly inclined flat surface 6. The block 3 can be said to form part of the bottom wall 1 and is connected with a pivot member 4 whose axis is normalto the surface 6 and to the adjoining inclined flat surface 8 of an elongated handle of the type known as pistol grip. The pivot 4 can be permanently fixed to the block 3 or is threadedly or otherwise connected thereto. The axis of this pivot 4 makes with the exposed underside of the bottom wall 1 an oblique angle, preferably an angle of about 60 degrees.

The front end portion 7 of the handle 5 resembles a wedge and its surface 8 is adjacent to and preferably abuts against the surface 6 of the block 3. The axis of the pivot 4 preferably passes through the centers of the surfaces 6 and 8. The front end portion 7 has a bore 9 which is normal to the planes of surfaces 6, 8 and accommodates the lower portion of the pivot 4. The latter has a lower end portion which is accessible by way of a recess 10 in the underside of the handle 5, and such lower end portion carriers a detachable split ring 11 which holds the handle 5 in the illustrated inoperative position but allows it to turn about the axis of the pivot 4. The ends of the handle 5 register with the ends of the bottom wall 1 when the handle is held in the inoperative position of FIG. 1.

The surface 6 of the block 3 is formed with a blind bore or recess 12 which is parallel to the pivot 4 and accommodates a spring 13a for a detent pin 13 having a rounded head which can snap into one of two concave sockets 14, in the surface 8 of the handle 5. The sockets 14, 15 are positioned in such a way that the socket 14 receives the head of the pin 13 in inoperative position of the handle 5 (FIG. 1) and that the socket 15 receives the head of the pin 13 in the operative or extended position of the handle (see FIG. 2). The handle then extends forwardly and downwardly beyond the front wall 1a of the housing 2.

FIG. 3 shows the handle 5 in an intermediate position. The arrow 16 indicates the directions in which the handle is movable between its inoperative and extended positions. FIG. 3 further shows that the width of the handle 5 is less than the width of the bottom wall 1, i.e., less than the width of the housing 2.

An important advantage of the inclined pivot 4 is that the handle 5 automatically remains in the inoperative position of FIG. 1, in the extended position of FIG. 2 or in any intermediate position even if the detent structure including the pin 13, and spring 13a and sockets 14, 15 is omitted. During movement between the two extreme positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 5 travels in a plane which is inclined with reference to the plane of the bottom wall 1. Since the center of gravity of the housing 2 is located behind the pivot 4, i.e., to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, the weight of the camera tends to pivot the housing 2 in the plane of FIG. 2 and in a counterclockwise direction whereby such tendency of the housing to tilt contributes to retention of the handle 5 in extended or intermediate position. The feature that the handle 5 can remain in any desired intermediate position is of importance during taking of pictures because the user can move the handle to any one of an infinite number of positions, not necessarily the extended position of FIG. 2, if such positioning of the handle is more convenient for making of a particular series of exposures. It is normally preferred to mount the handle 5 in such a way that turning about the axis of the pivot 4 necessitates the exertion of a relatively small force. This can be achieved by properly selecting the bias of the detent spring 13a and /or by maintaining the surfaces 6, 8 in slight frictional engagement with each other.

The external surface of the handle 5 may be milled,

knurled or other wise roughened (or coated with a suitable liner) to insure more satisfactory retention by the users hand. When moved to the inoperative position of FIG. 1, the handle 5 is partially concealed and in no way detracts from the eye-pleasing appearance of the housing.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention than others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. =In a photographic apparatus, particularly in a motion picture camera, a combination comprising a housing including a plurality of walls; a handle; and pivot means turnably connecting said handle to one of said walls, said pivot means defining for said handle an axis making an oblique angle with said one wall and said handle being turnable about said axis between an inoperative position in which it is adjacent to said one wall and an extended position in which it extends away from said one wall.

2. A combination as defined in claim '1, wherein said handle and said one wall are elongated and wherein said handle is substantially parallel to said one wall in the inoperative position thereof.

3. A combination as defined in claim :1, wherein said one wall is the bottom wall of said housing.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle is elongated and wherein said pivot means connects said one wall with one end off said handle.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said one end of the handle is provided with a flat surface which is substantially normal to said axis, said one wall having a flat surface which is adjacent to and parallel with said first mentioned flat surface.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising detent means for yielda'bly holding said handle in each of said positions thereof.

7. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said walls include a substantially vertical front wall and a substantially horizintal bottom wall and wherein said one wall is said bottom wall, said pivot means being adjacent to said front wall.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said handle is elongated and extends forwardly and downwardly beyond said front wall in the extended position thereof.

9. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said one wall and said handle are elongated and wherein the width of said one wall exceeds the width of said handle.

10. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said one wall and said handle are elongated and wherein the ends of said handle register with the ends of said one wall in inoperative position of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,194,366 3/1940 Ott 248-11 3,240,143 3/1966 Koeber et al. 352243 XR 3,242,840 3/ 1966 Kremp et al. 352-243 XR 3,301,627 1/1967 Kimura 352243 XR 3,380,366 4/ 1968 Olson 352 -243 XR LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner H, C. POST IH, Assistant Examiner 

